The Donji Kamenjak and Medulin Archipelago Significant Landscape (Croatia) has been a protected area since 1996. Donji Kamenjak stretches 3400 meters in length and is 500 to 1600 meters wide. Covering an area of just under 400 hectares, it harbors numerous plant and animal species, featuring more than 30 picturesque coves lapped by crystal-clear and pristine Adriatic waters.
Beneath the sea's surface lies a wealth of colors and shapes. Even in shallower waters, one can encounter various organisms such as marbled rock crabs (Pachygrapsus marmoratus), beadlet anemones (Actinia equina), and blennies (Blennius galerita). To enhance the experience, there is an abundance of algae and three seagrass species (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, and Zostera marina), providing a habitat for numerous organisms and serving various biologically essential functions for the ecosystem.
Many commercially important fish species inhabit Kamenjak's waters. Divers may encounter common two-banded sea breams (Diplodus vulgaris), annular sea breams (Diplodus puntazzo), gilt-head breams (Sparus aurata), European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa), saddled breams (Lythognathus mormyrus), and many others. The submarine area of Kamenjak is one of the richer fish oases on the western coast of Istria and is crucial to maintain its pristine condition. The cleanliness and preservation of Kamenjak's waters are evident through numerous sightings of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), a species once believed to be extinct in the Adriatic.
